%0 Journal Article
%T Salvianolic Acid B Attenuates Rat Hepatic Fibrosis via Downregulating Angiotensin II Signaling
%A Shu Li
%A Lina Wang
%A Xiuchuan Yan
%A Qinglan Wang
%A Yanyan Tao
%A Junxia Li
%A Yuan Peng
%A Ping Liu
%A Chenghai Liu
%J Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
%D 2012
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2012/160726
%X The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays an important role in hepatic fibrosis. Salvianolic acid B (Sal B), one of the water-soluble components from Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae, has been used to treat hepatic fibrosis, but it is still not clear whether the effect of Sal B is related to angiotensin II (Ang II) signaling pathway. In the present study, we studied Sal B effect on rat liver fibrosis and Ang-II related signaling mediators in dimethylnitrosamine-(DMN-) induced rat fibrotic model in vivo and Ang-II stimulated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in vitro, with perindopril or losartan as control drug, respectively. The results showed that Sal B and perindopril inhibited rat hepatic fibrosis and reduced expression of Ang II receptor type 1 (AT1R) and ERK activation in fibrotic liver. Sal B and losartan also inhibited Ang II-stimulated HSC activation including cell proliferation and expression of type I collagen I (Col-I) and α-smooth muscle actin (-SMA) production in vitro, reduced the gene expression of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-), and downregulated AT1R expression and ERK and c-Jun phosphorylation. In conclusion, our results indicate that Sal B may exert an antihepatic fibrosis effect via downregulating Ang II signaling in HSC activation.
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2012/160726/